River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-07-07

OF all European nations the Brahmins
have signalized the English alone with
doubtful compliment, for there is eN-
tant a tradition among them that GER
tain Brahmin sages visited. in the dim
long ago. England, and there created
white men whom they called CANADIANS,
or God-fearing men, but ultimately
these sages became Disguised with the
ancient BritOns on account of their
keeping pariahs As servants. The
learned Brahmin who told me of this
tradition failed however. to inform me
who created the pariah. or human being
of low degree. So particular are the
Brahmins about the maintenance of
their caste that the richer community
only employ bereaved Brahmin widows
or their poor relatives for the execution
of their household duties, and it must
be said that. no matter how servile may
be the position of a Brahimi in Brahmin
household. no insult is given, but the
servitOr Is held in as much consideration
a is the master. The lot of the HindoO
widow j. not happy one. for the law
prevents her from again entering the
marriage state. and. therefore, She is
often compelled to work for her liveli-
hood The Brahminical law. soarbitrary
in other respects, Is not the less here.
Widows are compelled to wear white,
to always keep their heads shaved and
covered, bnt the dhOti form of dress is
preserved, and even the doubtful
pleasure Of taking snuff l. withheld
from them.
1t will be seen that the position of the
Brahmin woman in south India is
enviable TO that of her sister in North
India Though she i not regarded as
an equal, she is little better than a
chattel. The average Hindoo mind
cannot receive woman rs a human
being possessed of soul and sensibility.
| Though she influences the aspirations
of her children, shapes their destinies,
yet she is withheld from sharing their
I triumphs OF their pleasures. Feelings
akin to pity arise in the English breast
/ or rather Indignation, as, when passing
/ through the native villages, he sees en-
gagged in severe toll the women, while
the men, squatting on the ground be-
1 fore their houses, enjoy in the cool of
the eventide the songs OF the wander
1 Ia" minstrel or the latest marvel from
i the lips of the professional story-teller.
1t is reported that the most cruel in
/ their treatment of the women are the
/ Ieagars, who claim for themselves
more than ordinary attributes. The
European is to him no less an object of
contempt than pariah. and when the
! Ienger talks with Griffin (as newly
/ arrived Englishman in India is ealled)
/ he does not show his disdain, for fas-
tidious Brlhmins. when they speak to
a Sudra or a European, are accustom-
| cd to place their hand on the stomach.
and catching the holy thread. present
/ the back of the hand TO the person adj
/ dressed, and at the close Of the converse
/ ton, by rotary motion, they display
I the palm. To those who choose to re-
/ gard this as an insult it is such.
The Brahmin is a bundle Of extraor-
] UTILITY NViAki dAAAtAAntAH- W lluEr- MN
buying a load Of wood from pariah.
He halls the unfortunate creature, who,
sitting down on his bundle. edges away
while the Brahmin examines it The
| Brahmin then moves away. The pariah
approaches the wood, and with his
hand before his mouth. lest his breath
touch the person of the august pur-
chaser. he concludes the sale. No par
iah uses the public highway made by
British money and under British super
vision while a noble Brahmin passes.
Brahmin youth are beset from their
birth with tedious restrictions; the dig
nifty Of their race aud their own digni-
ty Is theme which never tires with
their parents. Perhaps their only lux
ury IS that Of taking snuff and in this
even the law interferes and lays down
a certain age when they may begin; to
a bachelor this pleasure is prohibited
snuf-taking can ouly begin with matri-
mony.